Buffalo Wild Wings is strengthening its senior leadership team with the appointment of Ahmed Awadallah as Chief Operating Officer of Buffalo Wild Wings Sports Bars, bringing an executive with extensive experience across global quick-service restaurants and European coffeehouse operations into the casual-dining brand.
Inspire Brands announced the appointment on August 25, with Awadallah joining from Espresso House Group, where he served as Managing Director and COO of the Nordic-based premium coffeehouse business. Espresso House, part of JAB Holding Company, operates more than 500 corporate and franchised locations across Europe.
Awadallah also brings more than two decades of operations and engineering experience. Before joining Espresso House, he held a series of leadership positions at Yum! Brands, including Chief Operations & Customer Officer for Pizza Hut Europe. His career at Yum! included cross-functional leadership responsibilities spanning four continents, giving him experience in international franchising, restaurant operations, customer experience and systems.
His appointment comes as Buffalo Wild Wings continues to focus on strengthening the operating model behind its sports-bar network. In his new role, Awadallah will concentrate on global franchising, differentiated brand experiences and technology-powered efficiencies, according to Inspire.
“Buffalo Wild Wings was purpose-built for social connection, and that guest-focused experience comes to life in our more than 1,200 sports bars worldwide,” said Tristan Meline, Buffalo Wild Wings Sports Bars Brand President. “With more than two decades experience across operations leadership and engineering, Ahmed is the ideal leader to drive continued operational excellence and efficiency across our business.”
Awadallah said the opportunity appealed to him because of the combination of food, beverage and experience at the heart of the Buffalo Wild Wings concept. “I am passionate about brands that bring together great food and beverage with a dining experience that builds connection and loyalty,” Awadallah said. “That’s why I could not be more excited to join Buffalo Wild Wings and work alongside our sports bar team members and franchisees to foster an energetic, customer-centric environment that our guests can’t find anywhere else.”
The leadership appointment is the second major C-suite change at Buffalo Wild Wings this summer. In June, the brand appointed Scott Nelson as Chief Marketing Officer. Nelson joined from Tatte Bakery & Cafe, where he had been Vice President and Head of Marketing, and previously held a marketing leadership role at Panera. His remit includes Buffalo Wild Wings’ culinary and marketing efforts.
The moves point to a broader effort by Inspire Brands to strengthen Buffalo Wild Wings around both the customer proposition and restaurant execution. Awadallah’s background is particularly notable because it spans limited-service and casual restaurant environments, as well as international franchising and technology-led operations.
The brand has more than 1,400 restaurants across nine global markets, alongside its rapidly expanding off-premise concept, Buffalo Wild Wings GO. Inspire separately describes the Sports Bars business as operating more than 1,200 locations worldwide, reflecting the distinction between the broader Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant estate and the core Sports Bars operation.
The company has also been expanding Buffalo Wild Wings GO, its fast-casual format designed around off-premise occasions. The concept reached 219 units in 2025, according to franchise disclosure data cited by Restaurant Dive, while the traditional casual-dining estate had contracted slightly, declining by 11 units between 2023 and the end of 2025.
